The Dark Knight

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To relate my overall experience of watching this film, I refer to one reviewer who very aptly said, “I doubt I have soaked up enough in just one sitting to even do a good job at it.”

I concur, and because I saw it in a rather mediocre theater I will head ASAP to an IMAX showing of what is arguably one of the best superhero action flicks ever. Yes, the eye candy is spectacular for those heading out for some summer blockbuster escapism. And while the film gets a bit bloated with near-endless hyperactivity and a heavy-handed sense of the importance of its tragedy, the stellar cast takes another star – the Nolan brother’s script – and makes a pretty decent drama out of a mainstream popcorn flick.

With Batman Begins Christopher Nolan reinvented the franchise into its darkest, camp-free incarnation yet, and The Dark Knight takes it up at least a notch, which saying a lot considering the bulk of comic book movie sequels or for that matter first outings. For starters you’ve got returns from Christian Bale (best Bruce Wayne), Michael Caine (best Alfred, Cockney or no), and Gary Oldman (best Jim Gordon). But it’s the newbies who steal the show, and with opening scene it’s obvious it was set up that way.

In the role of the Joker, Heath Ledger makes chaotic evil utterly charming, sprinkled grotesquely with mad intelligence. Fans of the print comic will know what I refer to in saying he has all the punch that Alan Moore gave the character in The Killing Joke. All sentiment for his demise aside, not only do I support at least an Oscar nomination (and let’s not insult the performance by classifying it as a “supporting” role) but I hereby declare that no actor should ever again feel compelled to fill the shoes of the Clown Prince of Crime. Do I gush? I can’t help it if he was joy to watch. Jack Nicholson’s Joker was great in all his campy glory and Nicholsonness, but Ledger plays the character so intensely that you believe he can persuade his henchman of the sheer fun of burning a billion-dollar mountain of cash.

Aaron Eckhart brings the best rendition of Harvey Dent to the movies, which may not seem to say much in light of his competition being a cameo by Billy Dee Williams and a godawful performance by Tommy Lee Jones. I regretted the sparse denouement of Dent’s transformation into Two Face (great special effects/makeup!), feeling the villian could have taken a more active role. I hope I don’t spoil the Dent endgame in The Dark Knight too much by saying I will be pissed if he shows up in a sequel.

Other highlights of The Dark Knight were the great location footage in Chicago and Hong Kong and tons of really neat explosions to go along with impressive special effects. One small peeve I have is a hoped-for correction from the prequel, where Bale’s Batman often speaks in a low rasp. Alas, in the second film it gets even worse, so much so that at times subtitles could be useful. Although he said it works, I still agree with MSNBC’s Alonso Duralde, who said it’s somewhat akin to Brenda Vaccaro doing a Miles Davis impersonation.

Here he comes to save the day

I like the idea of a super-flawed superhero, one with the power to save the world and make it a brighter, happier place but none of the desire to. That's "Hancock". Loved the concept, not so enamored of how the tale played out.

The script didn't dumb it down, literally crashing viewers into the story, forcing them to believe in the reality of its premise from frame one. Jason Bateman, magnificent in “Juno" and even better here, plays a PR man with a heart of gold and vision of a better future without coming across as a do-gooder buffoon. He delivers the wry, comedic quip like no one else. Special effects are, of course, unbelievable and, of course, over done.

Then comes “the twist” (like a virgin on prom night, I won’t give it up). My brow remained furrowed in confusion until a cover-my-eyes-at-time violent third act and return of (really) not such a scary bad guy. And all good super heroes need a scary bad guy.

Speaking of bad guys, although not a fan of the franchise, I breathlessly and sadly await Heath Ledger as the “Joker”. The trailer had me to tears at just the brief glimpse of genius and madness. Shocking really.

"We're the Stains, and we don't put out!"

Today is a monumental day.

One I’ve been awaiting years, nee decades.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains" will be released on legit DVD September 16 for the first time. As I noted in comments, the movie shaped who I wanted to be as a teen, all punk rock, fuck you attitude, panties over fishnet hose and two-tone-hair.

p.s...watch Part II here.

My birthday falls in the month of September, for those in need of gift ideas.

I Am Legend

Do not watch this movie all alone in a big empty house.

* * *

My son and I went to see it in the theater. He got nervous when he found out it was a zombie movie. I don't think of it as a zombie movie, it's more a pseudo-sci fi thriller with intelligence and fine acting and, oh yeah, what amount to zombies. But the scene where Will Smith discovers much to his chagrin that what we are calling zombies might still have an active brain cell or two, my son needed to leave. So we left.

He was eighteen. I suppose some dads would have pulled the ah-toughen-up bit but not me. I was cool with it and we went to B&N and got some comfort coffee. This isn't only because I love and respect my kids. When I was eighteen, nineteen, twenty, I could get mighty nervous when out in the woods and the twilight started to deepen, and the shade under the trees went deep blue, and sight was uncertain, and the utter silence more frightening than any hooting owl or snapping twig. Last thing I'm going to do is be critical of someone for having a rich imagination.

* * *

Later took the wife for a movie-dinner date (we usually go for the matinee prices) and saw the whole thing. Thought it was pretty good. The premise is solid: A genetically engineered virus has been developed that cures cancer. Three years later we are treated to a shot of the flooded entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel, jammed with long-abandoned automobiles. Will Smith is one of the very few with a natural immunity -- the zombies are people whom the virus didn't kill but instead turned into ravenous beasts. He was also the chief Army scientist working on a cure. He lives alone, continuing his work, haunted by solitude, beset with increasingly disturbing flashbacks. The flashbacks give us pretty much the entire back story.

Then shit starts to happen at an ever increasing pace.

I liked the ending. I didn't like that, upon reflection, the plot had a couple gaping holes in it. But in a movie you have to economize on plot, and I guess if you keep the action going most people won't notice.

* * *

I got it for Father's Day and while my family was away from home this week, loaded me up some dinner and beer and sat down to watch it. Maybe when in the company of others I keep my emotions in check -- maybe when alone my emotions are closer to the surface -- for whatever reason, in this showing I cried during the crying parts, and became depressed at all the depressing parts, and got all nervous and scared during the exciting parts. It seems that a story about bloodthirsty ex-humans who can come out only at night is particularly evocative when viewed in an empty house on an otherwise uninhabited acre in a neighborhood full of silence and open space and slowly moving tree limbs after the sun has gone down. Who would have guessed that.

What would you like to see on a big screen?

I was just browsing this list at EW and I've seen a few of these films on the big screen (Titanic, GWTW, etc). I agree with most of the choices people presented in the list.

If you could see any movie(s) on a big screen (bigger than what's in today's multiplexes), what would you like to see and why?

R.I.P.

Funny, funny, funny.

I think of Saturday nights, gathered around the TV, a bit past my regular, weekday bed time and my mom laughing while sewing. Nice memory.

Bringing up the young'ns with the classics

Saturday, we introduced The Holy Grail to our 9 yr. old son. He is quite the movie fanatic, having watched all 3 Lord of the Rings before he was 7... I suppose he is well rounded, or at least able to handle a certain level of plot....

I am happy to report that he found Monty Python to be quite entertaining! There are some adults out there who have no concept of British humor, so I'm quite proud of my boy. Or else Monty Python is targeted to 9 yr. old boys? That's a toss up.

Not only is he now hooked on Monty Python quoting bits around the house - hmmm, is that a good thing? My mom has now gotten him addicted to The Marx Brothers and Abbott and Costello....

I wish more people would show their kids the classics, and not have them think that Spongebob the Movie is quality filminati....

Just my thoughts...

Rodgers & Hammerstein

Today's Amazon Gold Box deal is an extra $5 off the The Rodgers and Hammerstein Collection (60% off the list price) -- $39.99

For today only, save 60% on "The Rodgers and Hammerstein Collection," featuring two-disc editions of the classic musicals "The Sound of Music," "Oklahoma!," "Carousel," "The King and I," "South Pacific," and "State Fair."

My favorites are The King & I, The Sound of Music and Oklahoma. I've always liked the dark themes that run through those three musicals and how the film adaptations allow things that a stage production couldn't.

What are your favorite movie musicals, R&H or otherwise?

Recommended Book

I just read the advance copy of a memoir from Canadian writer, David Gilmour, and it's a doozy! The tag line reads: The true story of a father who let his son drop out of school-if he watched three movies a week.

The kid in question was in high school, in danger of dropping out anyway, and agreed to his dad's terms, which were that he had to watch 3 movies a week with him and he had to stay away from drugs.

It's an interesting, quick read, but at times it does get bogged down by minutia. What I enjoyed were the movie picks, and there's a list of all of them in the back of the book. Mr. Gilmour often split the movies into themes, which seem to ring true for me. One was "Buried Treasures," which included "True Romance," "The Last Detail," and "Murmur Of The Heart." The most creative theme had to be what Gilmour called "Stillness," which was based on his theory that an actor can steal a scene by simply not moving. That one included "High Noon," "The Godfather," and "Casablanca."

Did the kid ever go back to school? Should I be the spoiler? And did both he and his dad learn many lessons from their time watching and discussing films? What do YOU think?

The book comes out next week, so check it out if you like. It's called "The Film Club," and the author is David Gilmour.

WARNING:Here's the spoiler

(The kiddo eventually expressed interest in going back to school, so he prepped and took an exam to finish off his secondary education.)

Tear Jerkers

As I sit here watching Brian's Song, the question hits me. What movies brought you to tears, literally a wet face. This is mine, always has, always will. Well this and Old Yeller. What's yours?

Monster Mash

Babies, we need a topic. Found one at ew.com, a photo essay of "22 Goofy Movie Monsters". Why 22? Perhaps to make me ask "why 22?"

Anarchist I am, my pick for goofiest monster is not from a movie, but the greatest children’s live action Saturday morning extraveganza of all time, "Land of the Lost." Sleestak ruled. One even wore a sparkly vest and could speak English. My brothers and I would play Sleestak often by running about and sucking air through our teeth, oven mitts on both hands.

Amazon deal on Cary Grant box set

Amazon's Deal of the Day today is the Cary Grant box set.

The Cary Grant Box Set (Holiday / Only Angels Have Wings / The Talk of the Town / His Girl Friday / The Awful Truth) (1938)

Regular prince is $50, sale is $20. So $4/movie isn't bad.

What's your favorite Cary Grant movie? What's your favorite Cary Grant performance?

A Sam Diversion

A new post at Startling Stories!

Okay, it's just video of my boy, but you gotta start somewhere...

M3 2008: The Champion!

Mønti Pythøn ik den Høli Gräilen

With a final score of Holy Grail 4, Young Frankenstein 2, The Grail has prevailed!

And with final scores of 103 each, Paticus and Asbestos Dust are co-champions of this year's March Movie Madness pool! They, along with O'Tim and Teacake, picked The Grail as the best comedy (or funniest movie) of all time.

Paticus and Asbestos Dust will each receive a digital certificate that they will be able to proudly display on their own blogs, as well as being recognized here at Film Freaks Film Club. Congrats and great work, guys!

Special props to Nat who managed to come in third without picking the winning film.

Here is the final breakdown of scores, along with each person's pick for the best comedy:

Paticus 25+18+24+18+8+10=103; Holy Grail
Asbestos Dust 25+18+16+18+16+10=103; Holy Grail
Nat 26+24+24+12+8+0=94; Some Like it Hot
O’Tim 26+16+16+12+8+10=88; Holy Grail
Teacake 26+18+8+12+8+10=82; Holy Grail
Lucy 23+20+20+12+0+0=75; Airplane
Brad 27+20+20+6+0+0=73; Dr. Strangelove
Lady Strathconn 21+18+12+12+8+0=71; Young Frankenstein
Looney 22+18+16+6+8+0=70; Dr. Strangelove
Paula 25+16+12+6+8+0=67; Young Frankenstein
Sour Grapes 22+18+16+6+0+0=62; Life of Brian
Eden 23+14+12+12+0+0=61; Duck Soup
Cody Bones 24+18+12+6+0+0=60; Airplane
Jodie 26+22+8+0+0+0=56; A Fish Called Wanda
Krissy 27+12+12+0+0+0=51; A Fish Called Wanda
Emma 19+12+8+12+0+0=51; Life of Brian
Joe the Troll 24+14+8+0+0+0=46; Being There
Arlene 11+6+4+0+0+0=21; Princess Bride

Thanks to everyone for playing. Can't wait to decide what we do next year!

M3 2008: Round 5 Standings

Well, it's officially a three-person race now. Asbestos Dust was the only person who successfully chose both movies in the championship round.

Champion announced tomorrow!

Nat 26+24+24+12+8=94
Paticus 25+18+24+18+8=93
Asbestos Dust 25+18+16+18+16=93
O’Tim 26+16+16+12+8=78
Lucy 23+20+20+12+0=75
Brad 27+20+20+6+0=73
Teacake 26+18+8+12+8=72
Lady Strathconn 21+18+12+12+8=71
Looney 22+18+16+6+8=70
Paula 25+16+12+6+8=67
Sour Grapes 22+18+16+6+0=62
Eden 23+14+12+12+0=61
Cody Bones 24+18+12+6+0=60
Jodie 26+22+8+0+0=56
Krissy 27+12+12+0+0=51
Emma 19+12+8+12+0=51
Joe the Troll 24+14+8+0+0=46
Arlene 11+6+4+0+0=21

Charlton Heston Oct. 4, 1924 - April 5, 2008

Heston, shown being sworn in as NRA president.


Hollywood lost a big one last night. Heston's name is almost synonymous with classic high-budget cinema extravaganza. Let's face it, no one could smash stone tablets in righteous indignation like this cat could.

Rest in Peace, Chuck.

M3 2008: Semi-final Champ 2

SCORE: Young Frankenstein 4, Life of Brian 2


It's a Brooks vs. Python finale!

M3 2008: Semi-final Champ 1

SCORE:
Holy Grail 5, Blazing Saddles 0

Le ballon rouge

I first chanced upon this 1956 French film by Albert Lamorisse on TV, and ever since I've been looking for a videotape or a DVD. Once I taped it from the TV station Arte, but they started early and I missed the start.

I wanted to have it for my children and myself because it's quite simply one of the best short films I can think of. For what it's worth, the film won a Palme d'Or at Cannes in 1956, and it's the only short film ever to win an Oscar outside of the short-film categories (for Best Screenplay, against La strada, The Bold and the Brave and The Ladykillers).

I'm not going to give anything away, because a first-time watching should be entirely from scratch. It's only 38 minutes long, and it won't matter a bit if you don't understand the French (there's next to no dialogue). I found it, finally, on Google Video, thanks to the excellent site Smashing Telly.

Albert Lamorisse, by the way, also invented the board-game Risk.

M3 2008: Round 4 Standings

So we have Mel Brooks vs. Monty Python on the left, and Mel Brooks vs. Monty Python on the right. This round, each correct pick was worth 6 points. Nat maintains a (oh so very slight) lead, with Paticus nipping at her heels. Given that next round's picks are worth 8 each, and picking the champion is worth 10, there are still a possible 26 points out there to be had. Which means the top 6 or 7 peeps have a shot (including Teacake who, after falling mightily, found her footing and climbed heroically!).

Nat 26+24+24+12=86
Paticus 25+18+24+18=85
Asbestos Dust 25+18+16+18=77
Lucy 23+20+20+12=75
Brad 27+20+20+6=73
O’Tim 26+16+16+12=70
Teacake 26+18+8+12=64
Lady Strathconn 21+18+12+12=63
Sour Grapes 22+18+16+6=62
Looney 22+18+16+6=62
Eden 23+14+12+12=61
Cody Bones 24+18+12+6=60
Paula 25+16+12+6=59
Jodie 26+22+8+0=56
Krissy 27+12+12+0=51
Emma 19+12+8+12=51
Joe the Troll 24+14+8+0=46
Arlene 11+6+4+0=21